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Garden recipes – Grandma’s “Fish Italiano” (easy)

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

A Garden Recipe Idea from HowToGardenAdvice.com

Found this in a stack of Grandma’s recipe cards… what a nice find!  It’s quick, healthy, easy to make, and tasty too!

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sized zucchini, sliced 1/2″ thick
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 lb white fish fillets (orange roughy, or whatever you have available.  My husband’s a fisherman, so we used whiting that he’d caught).
salt & pepper to taste
a dash of dried oregano, a dash of dried parsley
finely shredded parmesan cheese

Note:  I served this over brown rice.  If you’re doing the same, start the rice first.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on med-low heat.  Add onion and oregano and saute, stirring.  Once the onions are starting to turn a little translucent, add the zucchini.  Stir & saute until the zucchini and onions are the consistency you like.

Add the tomatoes.  Then nestle the fish fillets in the vegetables.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper (and a little extra oregano & dried parsley).  Cover the skillet, and simmer until the fish is opaque & flakes easily with a fork.

Prepare the plate with a helping of rice (or pasta) & spoon the sauce over.  Sprinkle with Parmesan & serve.

Alternative serving suggestion:  Serve in bowls, with chunks of fresh bread on the side.

Posted in Herb Recipes, Onion Recipes, Tomato Recipes, Zucchini Recipes | No Comments »

Day old bread recipe – Basil, Tomato…

Friday, January 6th, 2012

A Garden Recipe Idea from HowToGardenAdvice.com

Decided I needed to do something with some stale whole wheat sub rolls.  So, this is a little unconventional, but turned out surprisingly good.  Hubby even liked it.

Set oven on broil setting, with the top shelf set so it’s near the top heating element.

Mix together:
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 large red onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)

You can lightly coat with olive oil, but I didn’t find it necessary, as the tomatoes gave enough juice to keep the mixture from drying out.

Place in a broiling pan or cookie sheet & set in the oven near the top.  Keep an eye on it, and stir as it starts to brown.  Cook 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a separate cookie sheet add the bread (cubed into bite sized pieces).  Again, if you like, you can toss lightly with olive oil.  I didn’t.  Broil, but watch for them to start to brown.  Once they’re browned, remove from the oven.

Mix the tomato mixture with the bread.  Stir in minced fresh basil (1 cup), and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve and top with a little Parmesan.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Basil Recipes, Herb Recipes, Onion Recipes, Tomato Recipes | Comments Off

Garden Recipes: Homemade Pizza – Family Recipe

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

A Garden Recipe Idea from HowToGardenAdvice.com

My folks used to own a pizza restaurant, and this is my modified version of their pizza recipe with toppings from the garden.  Of course, use any toppings you like.  Pizza’s always been a great food for bringing our family together.  Years after they sold the restaurant, we still made pizza on Friday nights together as a family event.

This time, I used fresh basil, tomato slices, and sautee’d oyster mushrooms.  Even though it’s November, I used basil harvested from the plants I brought in from the deck this fall.  The tomatoes were left still from the garden this summer.  And the mushrooms, we harvest ourselves also!

Basil grown in a container on the deck over the summer, brought in for the fall/winter.

Pizza Dough Recipe

Mix together:
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp yeast
Add to the yeast mixture:
1 tbsp agave nectar (or sugar)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe, add:
1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
(or for regular dough just use 3 to 3 and 1/2 cups white flour)

Knead until dough is elastic.  Should be just a little sticky.  Place in an oiled bowl, and flip once to cover.  Place a clean dish towel over to keep it from drying out, and set in a warm spot until doubled.

Pizza Sauce Recipe:
In a small sauce pot, add 1 small can of tomato paste.  Use the same (empty) can and fill 2/3 with water & add to the pot.  Add garlic powder and oregano to taste.  (I add a little cayenne pepper sometimes also.)  Simmer on low.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Oil your pizza pan (stone).

Place the dough on the pizza stone.  Using the tips of your fingers, lightly pat the crust out to the edges of the pan.  Seal any holes that happen.  And make a raised crust edge around the edge of the pizza.

Cover the dough with the tomato sauce.  Use a spatula or spoon to spread, spreading it out to the crust edge.  Cover generously with grated Parmesan or grated Romano cheese.  Then sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese, again all the way out to the edges of the crust.  Add the rest of your toppings.

Bake for 14 minutes, or until to your liking.  Cool, slice, and serve!

Note:  Share your garden recipes (or your comments on these recipes) with your fellow gardeners by emailing them to: gardenrecipes@howtogardenadvice.com

Also, fresher is always better… better taste, and higher nutritional content.  To  learn more about how to grow your own produce to use in these (or your own) garden recipes,  see also:

How to Grow Basil

How to Grow Oregano

How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Grow Mushrooms

 

 

Posted in Basil Recipes, Mushroom Recipes, Tomato Recipes | Comments Off

Garden Recipes: Salsa Recipe

Friday, September 16th, 2011

A Garden Recipe Idea from HowToGardenAdvice.com

What a wonderful and easy treat to make… home made salsa.  And a delicious way to enjoy the efforts of your summer garden.

I always make a ton of salsa & can it for winter, but you can make it in whatever size batch you like.

A note about preparing the tomatoes:  Some people prefer to remove the skins also.  I leave them as that’s where so much of the nutrient value is.  And, as I grow my tomatoes organically, no worries about pesticide residue.  Also, if you’re wondering about why you remove the seeds, it’s because they have such a high water content.  Removing them will help make your salsa less runny.

I like a salsa that’s more tomato-ey.  So, I do a ratio of double the tomatoes vs the combined peppers.  You can change the ratio to suit your own tastes though.

Salsa Recipe

2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped peppers (combined sweet and hot)
1 cup diced onions
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp minced cilantro
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.  Boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Note:  if your salsa’s runny, you can simmer until it’s the consistency you like.  Chill and serve.

Note:  Share your garden recipes (or your comments on these recipes) with your fellow gardeners by emailing them to: gardenrecipes@howtogardenadvice.com

Also, fresher is always better… better taste, and higher nutritional content.  To  learn more about how to grow your own produce to use in these (or your own) garden recipes,  see also:

How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Grow Peppers

How to Grow Cilantro

How to Grow Onions

How to grow Garlic

 

 

 

Posted in Onion Recipes, Pepper Recipes, Tomato Recipes | Comments Off

Garden Recipe: Classic Basil Motzerella Tomato Appetizer

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

A Garden Recipe Idea from HowToGardenAdvice.com


 

 

This one’s so simple,  I hesitate to even call it a recipe.  Still, it’s one of our favorites and is always a treat.  It also makes a nice presentation.  Were you to instead place it on a dressy platter, it would be a nice (and oh so easy) hors d’oeuvre for company.

Fresh Basil Leaves
Fresh Tomato Slices
(not too thin – you eat this appetizer with your fingers, so you need to be able to pick them up without them falling apart.)
Mozzarella slices
(it’s best to use the fresh mozzarella balls, usually in the refrigerator cases near the deli section at the grocery)

Balsamic Vinegar for dipping.

Arrange & serve.  Enjoy!

Note:  Share your garden recipes (or your comments on these recipes) with your fellow gardeners by emailing them to: gardenrecipes@howtogardenadvice.com

Also, fresher is always better… better taste, and higher nutritional content.  To  learn more about how to grow your own produce to use in these (or your own) garden recipes,  see also:

How to Grow Basil

How to Grow Tomatoes

 

Posted in Basil Recipes, Tomato Recipes | Comments Off

Upside down Vegetable Cake Recipe

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Strange name.  It reminds me of a meatless shepherds pie… except that it’s a big biscuit on top.  I suppose you could put the shepherd’s pie mashed potato mixture on top and eat it that way also.

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
4 cups cooked mixed vegetables  (your choice)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter

Mix (and sift) dry ingredients together.  Cut in shortening until mixture forms coarse crumbs.

Combine the egg and milk, then add to dry ingredients, stirring just until mixed.

Grease a shallow baking pan.  place the hot (seasoned to taste) vegetables on the bottom of the pan.  Add the vegetable stock.  Dot with butter.  Then cover with the biscuit dough.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes (or until the top turns golden brown).

Turn out onto a hot serving place, with the vegetables on top.

NOTE: Because of a huge volume of inappropriate spam postings, I had to close of this blog to public postings.  However, I am very interested in any garden related recipes or comments that you’d care to share.  Please feel free to send them to me at:  info@howtogardenadvice.com

Posted in Carrot Recipes, Celery Recipes, Corn Recipes, Herb Recipes, Mushroom Recipes, Onion Recipes, Pea Recipes, Potato Recipes, Spinach Recipes, Tomato Recipes, Turnip Recipes | No Comments »

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe #1

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Looking for clever ways to use the bounty of zucchini from your garden?  This recipe’s interesting, variable (which I love!) and filling.

3 Zucchini
2 tablespoons minced onion
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup diced cooked tomatoes
Romano (or Parmesan or both!) cheese, shredded
Salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  boil the zucchini (whole) for 8 minutes.  (Save the water and use it to water your indoor plants… it gives them a nutritional boost… way better than wasting it!)

Cut into halves lengthwise and scoop out the centers (so they look like little boats!)

Mix the pulp in with the remaining ingredients  (saving the cheese to sprinkle on top).  Fill the zucchini boats.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes.

Of course, you’re encouraged to play with the ingredients (and seasonings) to your tastes!  (Have a combination you particularly enjoy? – then share it with us!)

NOTE: Because of a huge volume of inappropriate spam postings, I had to close of this blog to public postings.  However, I am very interested in any garden related recipes or comments that you’d care to share.  Please feel free to send them to me at:  info@howtogardenadvice.com

Posted in Onion Recipes, Squash / Zucchini Recipes, Tomato Recipes | No Comments »

Potluck tomato basil salad

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

I like to take this one to potlucks.  It’s so bright, colorful, flavorful, and healthful.  There’s not usually many healthy alternatives at potlucks, so it’s generally greatly appreciated.

Sorry – again one that I don’t measure. .. but that’s the way I tend to cook (unless I’m baking), if you haven’t figured that out yet.

- Cherry or grape tomatoes, washed, drained, and halved.
- a large handful of basil leaves, washed, drained, and shredded.
- scallions or red onions, diced finely
- celery washed, drained and diced (optional)
- 1 clove of very finely crushed, diced garlic (go easy on the garlic if this is for a potluck or public supper… most folks don’t take kindly to strong garlic.  I, on the otherhand, can never get enough of it! :)
- basalmic vinegar
- black pepper to taste

Toss everything together, adding only enough vinegar to flavor lightly. (you don’t want soupy salad, and the tomatoes will release their juices as the dish sits… keep that in mind.)  If you make it a bit ahead of time and find that it’s too soupy, you can drain the dish and add a little extra basalmic vinegar again.

I like to garnish with a small, pretty sprig of basil.

To “fancy” the dish up a little, I’ll place the bowl w/salad on a platter.  Fill the platter that’s exposed (not covered by the bowl) with shredded lettuce and a few quartered black olives for accent (or even a little shredded motzerella cheese), or crackers with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.  Note:  Don’t mix the cheese in with the salad.  While it’ll be tasty, it’ll end up looking disappointingly unappetizing.

enjoy!

PS – if you like a little zip to your dish, add a hint of finely diced jalepeno.  Remember to wash your hands very well when you’re done chopping or you’ll be sorry!

Posted in Bean Recipes, Celery Recipes, Green Onion Recipes, Herb Recipes, Jalepeno Recipes, Pepper Recipes, Salad Recipes, Tomato Recipes | No Comments »

Alfredo Veggie Lasagne

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

I love to serve Italian for company.  It makes such a hearty, warm, satisfying meal that creates a mood of comfort and conversation.  This is a good one for that… it’s hard to go wrong with alfredo lasagne (of course, check w/your guests for lacto-issues first!).

- 12 lasagne noodles, cooked to package directions.
- 2 medium sized zucchini, washed, trimmed, and sliced.  I like to halve lentghtwise, then slice into 1/4″ thick bite sized slices.
- 2 medium sized summer squash, prepared same as zucchini.
- 2 cups shredded motzerella cheese
- 2 tbsp parsley flakes
- 2 tspn dried oregano
- one carton ricotta cheeese (mix with 1 tbsp parsley flakes)

Make alfredo sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted)
3 cloves fresh crushed, diced garlic (I LOVE garlic though… use your own judgement on quantity for your tastes.)
1 large onion, diced

Saute garlic and onion in butter over medium heat until just tender.

Add 1 cup of heavy cream, and 1 cup of parmesan (or romano, or mixed) freshly grated cheese.  Add parsley and oregano, and salt/pepper to taste.  Turn heat to low and stir until melted and blended.  Remove from heat.

Grease your lasagne pan, and place a single layer of the noodles, then a layer of ricotta, then zucchini, then alfredo, then noodles, then ricotta, then squash, then alfredo… continue until out of ingredients, or out of space in the pan.   Top with shredded motzerella.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Use any extra ingredients for an impromptu pasta meal another day!

***Also, for a little variety, try a version using sauteed asparagus, onions, and mushrooms!  Or, broccoli and carrots.  Or sun dried tomatoes, peppers and black olives.  Or Spinach/Other Greens and mushrooms.  Use your imagination for a creative, beautiful, and tasty meal option!  :)

*** Remember, while there’s nothing like freshly made italian food…  the flavors only get even better after they sit for a day.  The flavors meld and strengthen… so go aheaad and make extra and enjoy it as leftovers!

Posted in Asparagus Recipes, Broccoli Recipes, Carrot Recipes, Herb Recipes, Mushroom Recipes, Onion Recipes, Pepper Recipes, Spinach Recipes, Squash / Zucchini Recipes, Tomato Recipes | No Comments »

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Can you say Yum!  :)

Your favorite pasta for pasta salad (cooked, drained, and cooled)
cooked bacon crumbles
diced scallions
halved (or quartered) cherry tomatoes
washed and completely dry fresh spinach leaves (shredded)
diced celery

Stir together.  Add Mayo to taste and the consistency that you like.  Pepper to taste.

Optional:  green olives.

Posted in Celery Recipes, Green Onion Recipes, Spinach Recipes, Tomato Recipes | No Comments »

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